


At the End of Last Night's Party

by ConstantlyTiredMess



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Bisexual Jeremy Heere, Christine and Rich ship it, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, Internalized Homophobia, Jake doesn't realize he's pan till later, Jake's Party?, M/M, but different?, deere, makeout, oof, pan jake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-06-26 12:19:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15663105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConstantlyTiredMess/pseuds/ConstantlyTiredMess
Summary: Jeremy finds himself invited to Jake's Halloween party. Things are going fine, but the night ends in a way that Jeremy wouldn't have predicted in a million years.





	1. This Is Why I Don't Socialize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I edited this but it didn't upload? Apparently? Anyways, minor edits.

 

Jeremy flopped down onto his grey sheets, sighing as he ran a shaking hand through his hair. It was messy, a perfect analogy for his life.

 

_ I need to relax _ … 

 

_ No, I need to chill. _

 

Breathe in, breathe out. He scanned his ceiling, weary blue eyes glazed over, his mind somewhere else. 

 

_ Why did… _

 

_ Why did I… _

 

His mind was a broken record, stuck on a monotonous loop of the same unanswered questions. Non-stop.

 

After relentlessly staring at the chip on his  air vent for five minutes, he gave up, resigning to check social media, to do anything. He needs a distraction. Maybe he’ll check to see if Jenna Rolan had posted anything. His SQUIP would want him to stay updated on- No. She’ll probably be posting about the party…

 

Maybe he should play a game. He raised himself onto his elbows to reach his bedside table, and grasped both his phone, and a cup of water. The only thing he couldn’t grasp was the reason that happened at the party… And why he couldn’t get it out of his head. If only his SQUIP could come back already to explain. 

 

***

The Previous Day:

  
  
  


   To any onlooker, Jeremy Heere had his whole life figured out completely. He walked down the well-lit hallway as though he owned the place, like he was better than you and he knew it. His styled hair bounced slightly with every step he took, his back was arched, and he somehow made wearing both backpack straps seem cool. He nodded to everyone that actually held importance in their high school hierarchy, and if he bothered to glance behind him, he would have noticed staring coming from many of his peers and underclassmen. However, if you were Jeremy, you would know he didn’t have  _ anything  _ figured out. That’s why, when Jake Dillinger began to head towards him, the ground suddenly swayed underneath his feet. He rapidly glanced at his SQUIP for guidance, but managed to play it off as a simple flip of his hair. He just wanted to get through this conversation without making a fool of himself, for no matter how  _ chill _ he seemed, he was still an awkward teenager at heart. 

 

“Hey!” Jake yelled with a well-timed wave.

 

_ Oof. Maybe he’ll think I didn’t see him? _

 

“Over _ Heere! _ ” Jake yelled once more, attempting to gain the attention of the seemingly oblivious Jeremy. He chuckled for a moment, apparently amused by his own little joke, then jogged to take his place in front of Jeremy. That’s the thing with people like Jake: they never notice the quiet, internal struggles of those who want to be left to their own devices. He’s way too enthusiastic for that. 

 

Jeremy swallowed nervously, ducking his head in acceptance. Nonetheless, he balled his hands into fists. He was anxious, no doubt about it. Every alarm was going off in his head, telling him to leave, play with the fraying end of his cardigan, something,  _ anything.  _ He took a deep breath, and held off fidgeting, as he had the constantly looming threat of his SQUIP shocking him for unwanted behaviors. Instead, he focused on making sure he was smiling casually, and making eye contact. Oh! And breathing. Jeremy released the breath he had unconsciously been holding. At that moment, Jake spoke, snapping him out of his mental checklist.

 

“So!” He began, grinning that easy-going smile that had half of the school swooning over him.

 

“I’m having this Halloween party, right? My parents are out, so it’s gonna be crazy! And I invited Brooke, y’know, but then I remembered that, uh...” he paused, thinking. 

 

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as he seemed to remember where his train of thought was going.

 

“You’re dating her, right?”

 

“I, uh. Yeah,” Jeremy confirmed,  attempting to speak with the same amount of confidence that Jake exuded. 

 

“Well, uh, not dating-dating. It’s more like I like her and I mean, I’m pretty sure she likes m-“ With this, Jeremy bit his tongue to stifle the yelp caused by that off-brand Keanu Reeves for showing insecurity. Guess that “confidence” went nowhere.

 

“Nice, man!” Jake said, once again unaware of Jeremy’s internal struggle. He raised his hand to high-five the nervous boy, who quickly reciprocated.

 

“So, are you coming too? Obviously I’m not gonna invite your girlfriend, then kick you to the curb.”

 

Wait, what? Jeremy’s mind was reeling. A party? At Jake Dillinger’s house? Well, he supposed that he had had his SQUIP long enough to know what to do, and this invitation shows just how much progress he’s made. Besides, how could he say no to Jake, who’s charming face was painted with a mixture of hope, expectancy, and… Bashfulness? Why would Jake, the king of Middle Borough, act bashful when inviting someone to a party? If anything, he should be acting gracious.

 

Well, now his expression suddenly shifted to one of confusion, seeing as Jeremy forgot to answer. Right.

 

“Oh, uh, yeah dude! I’m like, totally thrilled!” 

 

_ Ow _ . Jeremy felt an all-too familiar sting that brought tears to his eyes. He blinked quickly to dry them.

 

Jeremy flitted his eyes between a content Jake and his SQUIP, who had just shocked him over his excessive enthusiasm, disdain evident.

 

_ What do you expect me to do? I can’t go back and fix what I said. _

 

_ Don’t let it happen again, Jeremy. People want what they can’t have. Make sure that if a second opportunity arises, you mention that the ‘reality’ is that you might not be able to come. This will keep him thinking about whether you’ll make an appearance or not, which is a lot more memorable than a happy little “yes!”  _

 

_ I’m rolling my eyes at you, internally. _

 

_ I’m sure. _

 

Jeremy made an unintelligible sound, just loud enough to make Jake, who had been leaving, turn back around. He was faced with the sight of a slightly flushed Jeremy glancing at his phone, and pressing (seemingly) random buttons. After fumbling with it for a minute, he looked up at Jake once again.

 

“Er, actually, I might be busy. I’ll see if I can make it.” 

 

Jake’s eyes filled with surprise, before relaxing once again. 

 

“Oh. That’s, uh, that’s no problem, dude!” He finished his statement with a laugh, quickly transitioning between disappointment to his normal, laid-back attitude. He chuckled once more, then left with a wave. Breathing steadily once again, Jeremy headed to his locker, and put his backpack inside.

 

_ Jeremy, I said, “if a second opportunity arises,” not “tell him immediately and contradict yourself.” _

 

Jeremy scoffed as he grabbed a couple of his books, and his navy blue binder, securing them in his arms. 

 

_ Yeah, well. I did it. That’s what matters.  _

 

_ Hmm.  _


	2. This Is Why I Don't Socialize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the huge wait, my computer broke... again  
> Edit; I rewrote quite a bit.

Loud. That was the first thought that popped into Jeremy’s mind as he pulled up to Jake Dillinger’s Halloween party. There was music blasting from every open door and window, intertwined with the loud cacophony of reckless teenagers laughing and yelling. Honestly, he wondered how no surrounding houses had called the police yet. Not only was there noise, but cars were parked up and down the street, which added to- Shit. Where to park?

 

    Luckily, there happened to be an empty space next to Jake's side door, located by his garage. Score! Once his (dad’s) car was safely parked, he looked in his rear-view mirror, mentally psyching himself up for what seemed like, well, a very _eventful_ night.

 

 _Jeremy, stop stalling. You’ll be fine. Besides, as much as I need you to be somewhat late, you can’t miss_ _everything_.

 

His SQUIP eyed him from where he had materialized in the passenger seat.

 

_Yeah. Yeah, I know._

 

He stepped out of his car, and began to stride up to the door, mentally counting everyone he saw. There had to be at least 20 kids on the front lawn alone.

 

He had barely made it through said door, when a very enthusiastic Brooke ran up to him, grinning happily.

 

“Jeremy! I was afraid you weren’t coming! Did you get my messages?”

 

_Play it off._

 

“Am I late? Didn’t even realize.” He shrugged as he spoke, glancing around the room. When he looked back at Brooke, he noted that she looked slightly crushed.

 

“What do you think of my costume? I figured, you always see sexy cats, but no one ever goes as a sexy dog.” She giggled lightly, playing with the fur of her dress.

 

“It’s…”

 

_Vague compliment._

 

“Original,” Jeremy finished.

 

Brooke’s smile fell for a moment, and felt a twang of guilt as he noticed disappointment flash over her features.

 

“I mean amazing! Seriously, I can’t believe I’m with a girl who looks like you,” he corrected.

 

“Chloe said it was dumb… You need a drink!”

 

Jeremy nodded, not wanting to disappoint.

 

 _Did you see the look on her face? She thought I stood her up!_   


_And she was so excited when she realized you hadn’t. People want what they_ _  
_ _don’t have. Now go. Drink. Socialize._

 

Jeremy nodded, determined to enjoy his newfound popularity. A good part of his night passed in a blur, laughing, talking, and dancing, just as his SQUIP had advised.

 

_This is actually pret-ty chiiill._

 

_Cool. Chill doesn’t apply to this situation._

 

_Whattterver._

 

_Jeremy, あなたは明らかに drunk._

 

Everything was moving so fast. Before he knew it, he was being led by Chloe, of all people, to… Jake’s parents’ room?

 

“Don’t worry. _They’re not using it.”_ She grinned slyly.

 

“You, uh, really know your way around.” Jeremy noted, looking uncomfortable and edging slowly towards the door.

 

“Yeah, I’ve had sex in pretty much every room in this house,” She revealed.

 

“Ugh…”

 

“Because I dated Jake! God, what kind of slut so you think I am? Whatever.” She smiled.

 

“I know how you could make it up to me.” She took Jeremy’s confusion as an opportunity to push him into a sitting position on the bed, and continued.

 

“So. Do you wanna hang for...a bit? We could connect, if I get wrecked, you could rock this baby fast asweep...”

 

She shoved her bottle into Jeremy’s hands, and the SQUIP took over, forcing the harsh liquid down his throat. Bleurgh.

 

Chloe continued her attempts to seduce Jeremy, to no avail. Nevertheless, she persisted. Now that things seemed to moving along with the SQUIP’s plan, he dissipated.

 

Suddenly, they were interrupted by loud and furious knocking on the door.

 

“JEREMY HEERE?!”

 

Shit. It was Jake. He must’ve… oh god.

 

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

 

With his SQUIP momentarily deactivated, Jeremy shoved Chloe off of him and scrambled to open the door. He halted, his hand an inch from the doorknob.

 

_Holy shit, he’s gonna murder me._

 

Screw it. Jeremy unlocked the door and flinched to avoid Jake’s fist, which was coming down to ram against the door once more.

 

“Jake!” Jeremy began, trying to get his friend’s attention.

 

“No. What the liTERAL FUCK JEREMY?” Jeremy stared at the now furious Jake, and was surprised to notice tears welling up in the corners of Jake’s eyes. “I FUCKING _TRUSTED YOU,_ LIKE THE **IDIOT** I AM.” His once cheery face was twisted with rage and exertion, and heat seemed to radiate from him. One hand was balled into a fist, the other pointing at Jeremy. He opened his mouth again, then closed it quickly, for once at a loss of words. Attempting to calm himself, he took a few deep breaths, and pivoted, planning to leave. He found himself stopped by Jeremy’s hand quickly reaching out to grab the sleeve of his costume. He glanced back at the awkward, nervous boy in the cyborg costume, then looked sideways at the floor, too angry to even make eye contact.

 

“Don’t _fucking_ touch me, Heere.” He was noticeably quieter this time, but each word that came out of his mouth dripped with venom.

 

Jeremy gulped and glanced behind him. Chloe was, unsurprisingly, nowhere to be seen. She must’ve slipped away during the confrontation.

 

“I swear,” Jeremy began,“wedidntdoanyofwhatyou… I didn’t, um. We didn’t do anything. At all!” He glanced down at his shoes, feeling his face flush red from fear, anger, and embarrassment. His heart was hammering in his chest. Why does this always fucking happen to him? The universe is out to get him, he’s sure of it.

 

“Save it.” Jake returned to face Jeremy completely, and took a step forward, which in turn made Jeremy take a step back. With a thud, he realized his back was now pressed against the doorframe.

 

_Great. No chance for escape then._

 

“Y’know,” Jake continued, “I was actually kind of happy you came tonight. You seemed like a pretty chill guy, and I could tell that… well, I _thought_ I could tell that you were kind, and caring, funny, and- Bullshit. All of it.” He leaned in to further prove his point. Jeremy’s eyes widened, reflecting the dim lights coming from the living room down the stairs. The reason for his surprise? Jake was practically a breath away, and when he spoke, he could feel the air move against his lips. The taller boy stared unrelentlessly and barked out a laugh.

 

“I lied. Did you know that? I invited you two days before Brooke. Before Dustin, before Madeline, before- Jesus, it even took me a day to figure out what I wanted to say to you, how to say it, and-“ he sighed, and stepped away.

 

Jeremy was flushing much harder now and he swallowed nervously, awaiting the end of Jake’s angry monologue.

 

“And it doesn’t even matter. It’s not like I was even dating that bitch anymore.” He looked down, and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I don’t know. It’s kinda stupid, actually, but the thought of _you,_ with _her,_ it made so _angry._ More than the fact that you were in my parents’ room. It’s not like… I… wow. Look at me.” He glanced up at Jeremy and chuckled, tears still shining. “The cool, popular Jake Dillinger can’t even figure out how he’s feeling, or express it.”

 

Jeremy took the opportunity to rest his hand on Jake’s shoulder, and he spoke.

 

“Jake, it’s okay. You’re human. Sorry, this probably sounds stupid coming from me, but why do you think people look up to you? You care about people, you have emotions, you’re honest. They admire you, and you don’t even have to harass people like Rich to earn respect. You light up a room by being in it. Basically, you’re great just the way you are!”

 

“…Ew, I sound like One Direction, is don’t I?”

 

Jake snorted at this and grinned.

 

“Excuse you, Heere, I happen to be a huge fan of One Direction, back off.”

 

“Bleh,” Jeremy wrinkled his nose in mock disgust. “That’s it. Friendship cancelled.”

 

They both laughed at this, and stood there gazing at each other as their laughter faded, not quite aware of what they were feeling in their chest.

 

After a moment, Jeremy broke the silence with a hushed whisper.

 

“Hey, uh, Jake?” He breathed in softly, not wanting to disturb, but found himself glancing down at the pink lips that were ever-so-close, close enough to-

 

“Yeah?” Jake spoke with the same quietness that Jeremy had, distracting him momentarily.

 

“Nothing, it’s just that-“ Jeremy leaned in slightly “-I think I know why you didn’t want me in there with Chloe.”

 

“Oh really?” Jake teased with half lidded eyes, glancing to look into Jeremy's. “And why is that?”

 

“Well…” Instead of finishing his thought, Jeremy closed the small gap between them, and gently pressed his lips against the other’s. Oh god, were they soft. He cupped a hand on one side of Jake's face, flushing. It felt like his whole night had been leading up to this one, game-changing moment. Jake, in return, placed a hand on either side of Jeremy’s waist,and- And pulled away.

 

Jeremy’s eyes fluttered open, and he was met with the hurt and confused expression plastered on Jake’s face. His stomach plummeted to the ground, and his heart felt like it was bursting out of his chest.

 

“Jeremy? I’m, I’m sorry. I don’t think I can- I thought I could- I have to go.” With that, Jake fled down the hallway and around the corner, down to the living room.

 

Jeremy stood still in shock, trying to figure out what he did _wrong._

 

“Dammit.” He slid down against the wall, and took a shuddering breath before breaking into full-blown sobs, hiding his face in his knees. Desperately, he tried to pick at the carpet underneath him, trying to ground himself.

 

_I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I feel fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up-_

 

Why did Jake leave? He was…

 

 _I messed up. What did I do? I must have read the conversation wrong. I_ did _read the conversation wrong. Oh god, what have I done?_

  



	3. Solitude was the Only Logical Option

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while.

Jake stumbled downstairs, gripping onto the banister and regretting his fifth bottle of beer. He came to a stop midway. His thoughts wandered as he gazed down at the sea of drunk teenagers who had nothing on their minds except getting wasted.   
  
_Why did I kiss him?_   
  
He brushed his fingers across his lips and closed his eyes, remembering exactly what had just happened. Jeremy’s lips tasted like teenage freedom and regret. It was wrong. Really wrong. But he couldn’t help imagining what it would have been like to continue, to deepen the kiss and slide his hands under the shorter boy’s shir-  
  
 _Jake, calm down. That’s not what you want._  
  
He found himself wandering through his house, finally deciding to collapse on the well-worn couch, which was currently home to crushed chips, beer cans, and various suspicious stains. He took an unopened beer from its resting place in a cooler near his feet. There was a lightness in his chest that shouldn’t be there, rivaled only by the overwhelming guilt in his stomach. A giddy feeling in his mind, equal in size to the frown on his face. He was a mess of contradictions.  
  
“Hey there.”  
  
Jake was shaken out of his contemplation by a familiar voice. He looked up. Rich was standing above him with a can of beer and a smirk on his face.   
  
“Where did you disappear to, dude? I was just telling Dustin,”- He glanced over his shoulder and gestured vaguely towards the crowd- “that I could totally get Stephanie to ask Will…” Upon turning back, he realized Jake’s distraught expression. “Hey, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”   
  
“Yeah, I, uh. Just too much to drink, I guess.” He finished his statement with a shaky laugh that failed to convince either of them. Rich eyed him, shifting his weight unsteadily. After a glance towards the kitchen, he exhaled and sat down next to the unnerved boy.   
  
“Riiight.” A pause. “Well, I mean I’m always here if you need to talk, no matter what.” His eyes shone with emotion uncharacteristic to him. “Seriously Jake, even though I might not show it, I really care about-“ He suddenly jolted. “I mean, it’s whatever, man!” He chuckled awkwardly, and grimaced off to the side, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
 _There’s the Rich I know. Well, other than the weird jolt._   
  
“So... do you need to talk?”  
  
“I- I dunno. There’s this person, and I don’t know how I feel about them anymore.”   
  
_Because that’s a super specific way to convey your feelings._   
  
“Did they piss you off?”  
  
“No, it’s more like…” Jake gestured wildly. “I didn’t really know them, and then I got to know them more. When I did, I realized that they were nicer and cooler than they let on. I started feeling really weird around them, like, I wanted them to think I was cool too! I got upset when they didn’t notice. I-“  
  
“Dude. ” Rich interrupted, a spark in his eyes. “You like them!”   
  
_Well…_  
  
His hesitation must’ve shown on his face, because Rich persisted.  
  
“Dude, it’s not that complicated. I would’ve thought that Jakey D, biggest flirt in school, would have realized that by now. Anyways, now that your “internal crisis” is resolved, we can go rejoin everybody.” He stood up, extending a hand to assist his best friend. Jake, on the other hand, sighed and leaned back, softly hitting his head on the wall behind him with a muffled thump.  
  
“It’s not that simple, Rich.”  
  
Rich looked exasperated but concerned, like he was talking to a small child.   
  
“Well, why not? It sounds like you like them. Well, it does to me, at least.”  
  
“Because.”  
  
“... because why?”  
  
Jake covered his face to cover his reddening complexion, in turn muffling his confession.  
  
“Because… they’re a guy.”   
  
“What? You’re gonna have to speak up, man.” At this point, Rich flopped down on the couch once again, leaning in to hear.  
  
“A GUY! They’re a dude!” Jake exploded, ending the suspense. Rich flinched, then stared at him blankly.   
  
“First off,” he began, rubbing the ear closest to Jake, “please don’t scream when I’m like, an inch from your face. Secondly... It’s a… a dude? Really? I always thought you were straight.” Another jolt. “Not that I’ve ever thought about it of course!” Another awkward laugh. Another grimace directed at no one.  
  
“Yeah, well, I always thought I was straight too.” Jake replied, ignoring the defensive, unexpected comment.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment, lost in thought. Rich squinted at the crowd, then looked back at his best friend. He opened his mouth to speak, to no avail. Jake closed his eyes, tormented with his feelings. Finally, Rich spoke.  
  
“I mean, if that’s how you feel, I don’t think that him being, well, him changes anything. Unless he’s straight, in which case…” Rich’s explanation faded in Jake’s mind till it was simply background noise, an afterthought.   
  
_Am I gay? No, I can’t be, I know I like girls… Bi then? Uhh… I can… figure this out later? I know that’s stupid, but I have a lot on my plate right now._   
  
...but that’s highly unlikely, so you don’t have to worry about any-“  
  
“No, he’s definitely not straight,” Jake added, thinking back to what happened earlier.   
  
“Oh. Did… did you ask him?”  
  
A simple, unassuming question.  
  
“No, I uh, I kissed him. Well, he kissed me, and I kissed him, and I pulled away, and…”  
  
“Dude!” Rich was ecstatic. “He kissed you? And you like him? Why did you pull away?” Jolt. “I mean, unless you realized how gross that is.”   
  
“What?” Jake’s stomach turned.   
  
_I knew it. Jesus, I knew it! It’s disgusting, I’M disgusting-_  
  
Rich was uncharacteristically quick to take back his comment.  
  
“Nothing, nothing, I- I just… Ignore me.“  
  
With that, he tilted his head back and chugged his entire beer. It would’ve been impressive, if he hadn’t been acting completely off beforehand. Now, it was sort of concerning. The beer can was tossed to the side and forgotten as soon as he finished. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, chuckling and muttering nonsense.  
  
“That should do it. He’ll have to shut up… Guess what, fucker? I don't understand Japanese!”  
  
“Uh…” Jake placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, causing the shorter boy to jump. “Are you… okay?”  
  
Rich chuckled and turned to Jake, eyes strangely dancing with mirth and hope. “Never better.”  
  
“Alright.” Jake trusted his friend, and besides- he was too tired to question his sudden changes in demeanor.  
  
“Well, who’s the lucky guy?” Rich began again, with an elbow jabbing jokingly at his stomach.  
  
“Jeremy. Heere. I know, I kno-“  
  
“Tall-ass?! You have a crush on hIM? Geez, no accounting for taste.”   
  
“Hey! He’s pretty cute!” He flushed upon realizing his comment, his entire face now  beet red.  
  
 _Shit. Holy shit, think he’s cute._  
  
Rich smiled a shit-eating grin, then gasped, draping an arm over his face dramatically.  
  
“Jeremy, oh Jeremy, wherefore art thou Jeremy? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or else- Ow!”  
  
Jake managed to shut him up with a sharp pinch to his arm.  
  
“Shut up! I didn’t mean it like that, and you know tha- Wait. You know Shakespeare? You never pegged me as the type.” A whole new side of his friend was being revealed in a single drunk conversation.  
  
“Not the point. The point is Jeremy. Now, I’m no romantic, but I imagine that if you kiss a guy, and he fuckin’ RUNS AWAY, you’re gonna be a little distraught.”  
  
Oh god. Even though neither of them were to blame, the truth is that Jake left him upstairs, probably hurting and upset.  
  
“I’ve gotta go find him.”  
  
  
———  
  
Jeremy wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his well used cardigan, and looked up.   
  
_Why the fuck did I come here? Why did I kiss him? He obviously doesn’t swing that way. The only reason he didn’t want me in there is because I was with his ex, in his parents’ room. Jesus Christ, what have I done? I have to get out of here._ _  
_  
With that thought in mind, Jeremy attempted to gather his bearings and stand up. Unsuccessfully. He wobbled slightly, still off balance from the alcohol and from the crying, and placed a hand on the doorframe to steady himself.  
  
 _That’s it, Jeremy. Deep breaths. One foot in front of the other_.   
  
He had almost made it to the stairs a few feet away when he heard the steady stump of shoes hitting the wooden stairs, and an extremely familiar voice calling out to-him?  
  
“Jeremy! Jeremy?”  
  
He had heard that voice a hundred times before, a voice usually happily gushing about Falsettos or Hamilton. Panicking, he glanced up and down the hallway, contemplating whether or not he should barge into the bathroom and hide under the sink.   
  
_That’s stupid._ _  
_  
By this time the owner of the voice had begun to made her way over, a small frown present on her face. She didn’t look too good: her crown was crooked, her eyeliner was slightly smudged, and she seemed rather tired. Nonetheless,  she walked over, and spoke.  
  
“Hey Jeremy. Is everything... okay?”  
  
He gulped to clear his throat, and answered shakily and unconvincingly.  
  
“Of course I’m okay. W-why wouldn’t I be?”  
  
“Well,”- Christine began, twisting her hands- “Jenna said she saw you go upstairs with Chloe, and that Jake followed soon after, looking really mad!”   
  
“Yeah, well...”  
  
“Did he- Are you okay? I’m kinda disappointed in you Jeremy, since I thought you were dating Brooke, but I recently learned that Jake isn’t... exactly what I thought he was. So, with that in mind, I temporarily forgive you.”  
  
A beat.  
  
“Are you okay? You look so shaken, did he do something to you?”  
  
“He kissed me...” A whisper.  
  
“Jeremy, I’m gonna need you to speak up.”  
  
“He kissed me.” Slightly louder.  
  
“Oh. OH! Jake kissed you?! Why? Where did he go?”  
  
Another beat. Jeremy walked over to the doorframe that he was pinned against minutes ago, and sat down against it. It seemed like hours since that happened. Christine quickly followed suit. After tucking her dress underneath herself, she started again.   
  
“So. How did...this” -she gestured towards Jeremy’s tear-streaked face, then down the hall towards the staircase, where Jake had made his untimely exit,- “all happen?”  
  
“I don’t really know? Does that make sense? One minute, I’m downstairs, then Chloe is leading me up here to Jake’s parents’ room. Next thing I know, she’s forcing herself on me, and-“.  
  
Christine’s eyes widened and Jeremy trailed off, but she nodded to encourage him to continue.  
  
“Jake comes upstairs and yells at me and then we made up? At least I think we did. Suddenly, I was against the wall and he was an inch from my face. Then I just. Leaned in. But it’s not like I did it randomly, y’know?”  
  
He looked to Christine, who was attentively listening to every word.  
  
“What do you mean? Did he try to kiss you first?”  
  
“Well, no. But he was whispering, and looking at my lips, and- who does that?! All signals pointed to ‘Jeremy, he wants to kiss you,’ but apparently not! He pulled away after a moment, saying ‘sorry’ and some other stuff, then left.”  
  
Christine sighed, looking down. She thought for a moment, then looked back at Jeremy.   
  
“Do you want to hear my honest opinion?”  
  
A nod.  
  
“Okay. Well, I think that... I think that Jake did want to kiss you, but if he ran away he must be really stressed, or maybe he has a lot on his mind, or, I dunno. But I don’t think you should approach him about it tonight.”  
  
“I messed up, didn’t I?”  
  
“I don’t think so. But I do think that Jake needs time to sort out how he feels.”  
  
 _That’s probably for the best._ __  
  
“Yeah. Thank you, by the way. This is stupid, and confusing, and honestly I’d rather be anywhere in the world then where I am: on the floor of a high school party, sweaty and tired. However, you kept it from getting worse.”  
  
Christine smiled warmly and made a move to stand up. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the time, eyes widening as she did so.  
  
“This has been g- well, not great, but... eventful. Now, as much as I’d love to stay and talk, I really have to head home, Jeremy.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, me too.”  
  
Jeremy hurried down the staircase with Christine in tow, dodging partygoers and a broken vase, finally making it out the door. If he had glanced backwards for even a fraction of a second, he would’ve seen Jake bounding back down the stairs, arm extended towards the front door where Jeremy made his exit. Unfortunately, he never looked back, and the door closed just in time to muffle Jake’s calls.


End file.
